Vanguard Magazine

www.vanguardcanada.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 23 TECHNOLOGY Walter Wood, WithYouWithMe Customer Success Executive for Defence, will look at an alternative approach to training for the support of digital systems, a process devel- oped by WithYouWithMe, which has prov- en extremely successful in training military veterans for a second career in supporting digital systems and is now being offered in Canada to veterans. The Training of Digital Warfighters in Canada's Army Today Notwithstanding two decades of digital transition, it can be argued that the CAF has yet to fully transform into a digitized force. Efforts to modernize at the pace of industry have been frustrated by a ca- pability acquisition process that strives to identify outcomes with certainty, which has proven impossible when considering the speed at which information technology changes. Further, with a focus on the next operation in lieu of a future of operations, the CAF has been limited by an organisa- tional culture that has consistently sought to apply technology to the way operations were being conducted instead of evolving operations to what the technology could enable. The net result over time is an or- ganization that has yet to establish the institutional foundation and agility neces- sary to be aware, experiment, and adapt to the information environment. The CAF is also striving for a coherent digital develop- ment programme that goes beyond theo- ry, where prioritization of a common set of military digitalized competencies across the CAF is practiced as it is these compe- tencies that are needed to form the core of an effective training system. The Canadian Forces School of Com- munications and Electronics (CFSCE) exemplifies the dichotomy that has existed between prioritizing and investing in CAF digitisation. As a training establishment with Centre of Excellence responsibility for developing and managing 10 distinct communications and electronics occupa- tions across all services in the CAF, CF- SCE is supposed to be at the cutting edge of military information technology and should be leading the institutional digi- tisation transition; however, the School is being housed in buildings that are beyond end-of-life, fitted with a bare minimum of in-service equipment, and insufficiently re- sourced to design, develop, and adapt spe- cialist training for information technology systems that are continually evolving. The challenge is not just with those who manage systems but also those who use them. The training of staff officers to work in a dispersed environment typical of digi- tized headquarters, where they must har- ness technology to meet mission demands, while concurrently defending from a digi- tized enemy with the capacity to spoof, jam, or target our digital signals should not be underestimated. The consequences of failure are hugely significant. Canada's adversaries have significant capabilities to exert influence on CAF action. Much work is required to ensure staff are familiar with the challenges and possess the knowledge, processes, and tools to overcome operating in a hostile environment. Thankfully we can learn from ourselves, our experiences, and our allies. In Col Strickland's view, "We should not underestimate the importance of ongoing staff training. Much as we train drivers and gunners continuously, we need to do the same thing with our staff. Friday afternoon plans training sessions, exercises in a comms constrained environment, sim- ply getting move drills down for a HQ – all these can help improve the situation". Despite these challenges, Canadian sail- ors, soldiers, and aviators have always ex- hibited the imagination, innovation, and initiative needed to overcome adversity; something within our DNA that continues to be imparted during recruiting, train- ing and employment. Enabled by incred- ible partnerships with the public service, industry, and our allies, it is our people that continue to make things happen with the technology where it matters the most: training and operations. Admittedly, our Schools have not been invested in and have yet to deliberately produce what could be categorized as a "digital warfighter" per se, but they do graduate Warfighters who pos- sess the attributes to excel within a digitised environment. As LCol Gamblin points out, "despite a body of work comprised of man- agement missteps in establishing an endur- The CAF is also striving for a coherent digital devel- opment programme that goes beyond theory, where prioritization of a common set of military digitalized competencies across the CAF is practiced as it is these competencies that are needed to form the core of an effective training system. T oday, in addition to general military training, leadership development, trade-specific training, and specialty train- ing, at both the individual and collective levels, all CAF members, and those supporting them, require the skills to operate digital systems necessary to fulfil their operational tasks. This train- ing ranges from general information tech- nology training, providing individuals and teams the basic analytical principles and approaches to exploiting the tactical ad- vantages digital systems provide to the de- tailed knowledge required to plan, deploy and recover digital systems. Training has always been a cornerstone of the CAF operational culture. As the CAF continue their digital transformation jour- ney, it must take a broad approach, consid- ering all the PRICIE 1 elements; training of its Digital Warfighters will continue to be one of the most important elements. Digi- tal training must be institutionalized and ingrained into the CAF operational cul- ture, so it is second nature, just like weap- ons training is today. The challenge is that the need for digital training is continuous, including initial training, refresher train- ing, skills updating, and collective training, and this training must be refreshed every time there is a procedural or technical change to the digital systems, which will also be continuous. Finally, every member will require aspects of this training as every member will use the digital systems. With support provided by those inti- mately aware of digital training in the Ca- nadian Army today, the past Commandant of the Canadian Forces School of Commu- nications – LCol Walter Gamblin, and the Commandant Canadian Army Command and Staff College – Colonel Tod Strick- land, this article will first look at the chal- lenges, successes, and way ahead for train- ing digital Warfighters from those leading that training today. The second part of the article, provided by Colonel (Retired)

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